Freedom: The Story of Spark
by TheDraganMaster
Summary: Spark is a young mobian cheetah who is bound by chains from a kingdom that lusts to conquer everyone and everything around it. With the help of Sonic and other friends he shall meet along the way, Spark will try to find his place in a world that wants to make him an eternal slave. -for a better idea of the story, read inside. I'm bad at summaries.
1. Prologue

**This first chapter is just a sort of** **introduction to the story. Please read and enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer* Sonic and many other characters belong to Sega and Archie Comics. Spark is my own OC and I created the world/universe. I do not own Sonic and other Sega and Archie characters.**

* * *

Oh, how he loved these open plains. Out here it was just him, the grass, and the great blue expanse of the sky. Wild winds cut through blaze of the beating sun untamed and softly rustled the tall grass he was running through. Here, he was free, or at least he could pretend he was.

A subtle buzz from the inhibitor ring clamped around his arm quickly reminded him that, in this land, there is no such thing as being free. Spark snapped out of his revery and focused his attention on the large mound of rocks that was slowly rising out of the sea of grass as he sped towards it at near sonic speeds.

In mere moments, Spark skidded to a stop in front of the mound and inspected it thoughtfully. It wasn't the largest he had ever seen, but it would do. The rock mound sparkled a dazzling array of colors under the light of the sun, and to Spark, it seemed like it held some promise. It would definitely hold a fair amount minor chaos gems, and, if he was lucky, maybe a few Sapphires and Rubies too.

Spark bent down and picked up a shimmering pebble from the rubble laying at the foot of the mound. He then turned and ran back along the trail he had previously blazed through the grass on his way out to the mound.

Again he was racing across the plains with nothing to tie him down. Spark loved this land, even though no one was free. It was filled with open plains, where he could run, and run, and run. It was filled with sprawling forests that hid mysterious secrets and wonders not yet seen by any eye. It was filled with shaded, peaceful lakes, and an ocean that stretched out onto oblivion. The Kingdom of Acorn may own his body, but his soul belonged out here, the land where he could run forever like his Sirufanine Cheetah ancestors must have done all those years ago before the Acorns conquered all.

Soon a small outline appeared in the distance. Spark ran a ways and then halted a good few yards away from a train of two large wagons that were rambling along a beaten down road. Once Spark was close enough to make out the figures of the poor Mobian Brute Workers who were dragging the wagons along, he then leisurely walked the rest of the distance to the wagons. No need to hasten his return. Only beatings and chains awaited him.

Spark longingly looked at the plains spread out behind him and entertained the foolish notion of trying escape. His inhibitor ring gave him a small jolt. He would have never made it. Not only had the Enforcer leading the caravan already notice him; there was nothing to eat out here. The Kingdom had hunted all the game on the plains to near extinction and the grass, the only major life for miles, was as dry as bones. No, Spark's chains were wrapped tight. He might as well return to the wagons now.

The moment Spark stepped out onto the road, he was immediately assaulted by a blue blur of a hedgehog that talked impossible fast.

"Ha, beat you again. I got here a minute ago. Looks like you'll be buying today," the excitable hedgehog that hadn't been there moments ago stated.

Spark sighed. "Yeah, whatever, Sonic. Just let me report my findings to whatever Enforcer is leading this gem run."

"You don't know who the Bully is today, do you," Sonic said with a smirk. "Have fun."

"It's Jack, isn't it," Spark replied despondently.

Sonic just smirked even harder, if that was possible, and lopped away. "I'll be in the front bothering the Brutes when you're done."

Spark watched Sonic disappear around the front of the wagon train. Sonic was one of the few mobians within the Kingdom of Acorn that Spark could call friend. More like the only mobian he could call friend. Spark wasn't exactly talkative, and he wasn't really in a place that allowed for friends. He was a Worker. Sure he was a Speed Worker, which wasn't as bad as a Brute, but being a Speed Worker was generally lonely existence. Sonic made that existence a little less lonely. Sure, he had one one of the biggest egos in all of Mobius and wouldn't take no for an answer, but he was loyal and helped Spark brighten his world, even if they were just slaves to a kingdom that never stopped taking. Besides, Sonic was one of the few Runners that could challenge Spark's speed. Racing Sonic was one of the few things that made Spark's life bearable.

As Spark slowly made his way towards the back of the first wagon in the train, with as much procrastination as possible, he longingly wished he was running along those dusty plains. As long as he was anywhere but here. Here, where he would have to face Him.

Spark jumped up into the ambling wagon and caught sight of a gray rabbit lounging in the shadowed recesses of the wagon's ample empty space. The rabbit lazily fiddled with the finely crafted chaos blaster in his hands and seemed for all purposes relaxed, if a little bored. Spark wasn't fooled, though. Jack Rabbit wasn't the worst Enforcer in the kingdom, but he was undeniably in the top ten of the most brutal Enforcers. Jack was liberal in his dealing of punishment for even the slightest of wrongs, and he was infamously known for his wild and sudden tempers. It also didn't help that Jack seemed to have some strange grudge towards Sonic and Spark. Sonic never said anything about it, but to Spark, it seemed like the blue speedster and the one eyed rabbit had a bad history together.

Jack looked up from his blaster as he noticed Spark's presence. He smiled a cold, empty smile and slowly put his gun away, making sure that Spark's eyes followed its movement as a reminder that Jack could easily make Spark's life a lot more painful.

"So, whadda got for me?" Jack demanded.

Spark slowly extended his arm and showed the pebble from earlier to Jack.

"Toss it over, runt."

Spark obliged, and Jack caught the pebble deftly. Jack viewed the pebble intently and absently rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

After a few moments with only the grunts of the Brutes pulling the wagon breaking the silence, Jack stated, "Not bad. This mine shows some promise, but the one your friend found to the east was better. I'll put a marker on it. There's a team headin' up later this moon cycle who'll take care of it." Jack lightly turned a dial at his side, administering a quick, soft shock to Spark's arm. "You're dismissed. Leave, and tell that blue menace to do something useful. The Brutes are taking long enough as is."

Spark nodded and instantly left the wagon, thanking his good luck. Today must have been one of Jacks few days of calm.

Spark jogged lightly around the side of the wagon to see Sonic taunting one of the six brutes pulling the two wagons. The other five Brutes were ignoring Sonic. They had been around long enough to know the futility of indulging Sonic. The one Brute, though, seemed to be pretty fresh. He was an echidna with a blazing red pelt, and must have been captured recently during one of the skirmishes between the Kingdom of Acorn and the Echidna Empire in the south.

The rest of the Brutes had been through a lot and were probably heading towards their last years. For the echidna, on the other hand, this was probably his first job as a Brute Worker. The kingdom liked to use Brutes as bodyguards, infantry, and heavy lifters, but as they started to age and tire, Brutes would commonly be assigned to resource collection runs like these. The only reason the echidna could be here otherwise, would be if he had committed a case of 'insolence' while in the city. Knowing the stubbornness of the Echidna Empire, Spark didn't doubt for a moment that the Brute Echidna here had done exactly that.

"Knucklehead, I could run fifty laps around this train before you Brutes took a single step," Sonic taunted.

The echidna's face lit up a bright red. "For the last time, go away. It's bad enough that I have to pull these stupid wagons. I don't need a hamster like you yapping away in my ear all day. And, the name's Knuckles."

"Sonic, when will you learn to stop tormenting the Brute Workers?" Spark called as he walked up to the cocky looking hedgehog and the angry echidna, apparently called Knuckles. He then turned to face Knuckles. "I'm sorry, echidna, for whatever my friend has said. Sonic has no concept of manners or polite conversation. And leaving tired mobians alone, for that matter."

Sonic rolled his eyes. "Come on, Spark, you know I was just messin around."

Spark noticed one of the older Brutes, a graying tiger, give a soft smile. This was a common sight among those working out on the plains. Sonic and Spark, usually after Sonic had gotten into some sort of trouble or other, were common participants in the dreaded mining runs. Spark didn't mind them, but most Speed Workers he knew hated the Runs with a passion. Runs required a long week of walking under the baking sun with few things to detract from the boredom that comes from passing through the same, repetitive landscape for hours on end. To Spark though, they were peaceful, and allowed him time to think. Spark looked to Sonic, who had gone back to nagging Knuckles the echidna. Well, Runs were peaceful when Sonic wasn't around.

"So, whatcha out here for anyway, Knucklehead?" Sonic questioned the echidna. "Did you punch an enforcer? I can just imagine the look on their face. Or," Sonic took a moment to pull up the short scarf around his neck, revealing a tarnished gold inhibitor ring, "Did you pull the classic and try and pull off your inhibitor rings when no one was looking?"

Knuckles looked down at the bronze inhibitor rings clamped around his gloved wrist. His face grew even redder, if that was possible, and he glared at Sonic. Inhibitor rings tended to be a touchy subject for the newly captured. Many see inhibitor rings as the symbol of their despised imprisonment.

"Sonic," Spark chided. "Leave the poor Worker alone. How 'bout we ask one of Jack's goons if we can have a race or something. Loser buys for a week."

"A week? Now that is an offer I can't refuse," Sonic replied amiably, all thoughts of bothering Knuckles forgotten.

"Great. Let's-" It was then that Spark was cut off with a massive jolt to his arm from his inhibitor ring. Spark kneeled over for a moment, waiting for the pain to pass, and when he looked up, he found that the other workers had been shocked similarly. All the workers in a mining run being shocked for no apparent reason could only mean one thing-

"Bandits!" one of the enforcers leading the wagons shouted.

There was the sound of pounding feet, and then Spark saw a hodgepodge band of rag wearing Mobians running on the sides of the sluggish wagons. The Brute Workers immediately dropped the leads they had been pulling and went to defending the wagons as upon the enforcers' commands. The Brutes and enforcers clashed against the bandits, the Brutes with fists and the enforcers with their chaos blasters and swords. The bandits attacked with a few old pistols, cudgels, and, for an unlucky few, their claws and bare hands.

"Finally, something interesting happens," Sonic stated as Spark received a small shock from an enforcer who had looked up from the fighting for a moment and noticed that he was not aiding in the fight against the bandits. "I bet I can beat more bandits than you," Sonic challenged.

"Sonic," Spark started. "I don't think-"

"Ready, set, go." With that, Sonic became a blue streak weaving through the attackers' ranks, leaving a path of knocked out mobians in his wake.

Spark sighed (he does a lot of that around Sonic), and then his vision blurred as he too made his way through the mob of bandits, kicking and slashing all in his way before anyone even knew he was there in the first place.

* * *

Hours later, after the bandits had been rounded up and captured (the bandits' numbers were no match for the Kingdom's superior weapons and strength), Spark lay on the ground staring up at the stars. It was a beautiful cloudless night, and the sky was filled with thousands of twinkling lights. The moon was almost full tonight, and it illuminated the swaying grass around him with almost perfect clarity. Since it was such a bright night, the enforcers hadn't lit any torches around the wagons, and Spark could imagine that he was alone, just him, the grass, and the vast cosmos above him.

Spark gazed at the stars and wondered _why. Why_ was he here? What was his purpose? Why did he always wake up every morning knowing that the day would only bring pain and work without any consolation or respect?

A loud snort from the the sleeping figure of Sonic a few yards away broke him out of his reverie. Well, thought Spark, there _were_ a _few_ reasons why he woke up each morning. Spark then rolled over and fell asleep beneath the stars.

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 **Thank you for reading. Any comments and constructive** **criticism are welcome. The next chapter will be the actual start of the story. :)**


	2. Chapter 1: The Pound

**Tah-da, I finally finished the first real chapter. I'm sorry for taking so long. I get distracted easily. :) It's done now though, so enjoy. :)**

The Pound was a cold place, despite the soft sun shining in the sky. Day in and day out it was filled with the moaning of the unlucky and beating of the undesirables. The Pound was an orphanage that only the most unlucky ended up in. With cramped conditions, less than filling meals, and some of the most notoriously vile inhabitants, it was hardly a place one would wish to call home.

"Hey, Spunk!"

Unluckily for Spark, he didn't have a choice.

"Hey, Spunk, you hear me!"

Spark hadn't been left here by a caring parent who just couldn't make ends meet. No, Spark wasn't that _lucky._ He had run out of chances and now he was here with all the other parentless thieves of Mobotropolis, the capital of the Acorn Kingdom.

"Spunk, if you don't show your sorry mug out here right now I'll-"

"I'm here!" Spark shouted from his place in the Pound's small courtyard. "You dunderheads," he muttered under his breath.

"Watchu call me, Spunk?" demanded a heavily built young bulldog as he rounded the single, barely living tree situated in the center of the courtyard. Behind the bulldog came his two goons, a sleek, if skinny, black and white cat and a ruddy brown hawk.

"Heh, you're in for it now," Beat the Hawk snickered.

"Bull's angry," Claw the Cat added with a smirk.

Bull the Bulldog was always angry. Spark had figured that out easily on his first day here a week ago. The question was, what was he angry about? Spark was not kept waiting long.

"Watchu doing, talking to those, those, _lettuce eaters,"_ Bull said with contempt, spitting out the last words. To emphasize his anger, (as if it needed emphasizing), Bull picked Spark up by the scruff of his neck and slammed him against the tree.

Spark sighed inwardly. Bull did a lot of this kind of thing, showing off to stay in on top of the Pound's criminal hierarchy. He may not be smart, but he used strength that verged on that of a Brute's. Not that Spark had really ever met a Brute, but from what he had heard, Brutes had the strength to break rock and bone. Spark was not inclined to find out whether Bull could do so as well.

"Those herbivores, think there better cuz there all _fancy_ and _refined."_ Bull spat in disgust. "I could tear them apart with my bare hands and eat them as a snack."

Spark noticed Claw and Beat look at each other nervously. What Bull had just said could land him in the gallows if one of the Pound's overseers had heard him. Carnivorism was a crime of the highest order in the Acorn Kingdom, and it was not taken lightly, even when mentioned in passing. The royal family were herbivores and since coming to powers ages ago, the Acorns had immediately put a stop to the eating of other mobians. Carnivores had to make due with the Kingdom's dry replacement meat that supposedly came from farms somewhere in the kingdom. Some carnivores, like Bull, were bitter about this rule, but Spark didn't mind. He would be lucky to get his hands any kind of food, he wasn't picky. Besides, Spark had a met a few herbivores, and they were generally nice. Well, that is until he stole from them. Still, Spark could never even think of why anyone would want to _eat_ them. The thought of it made him gag.

"Spunk, hey, you listenin'!" Bull shouted way louder than necessary. He had nothing to worry about. The overseers of the Pound didn't care what the inhabitants did to each other, save murder of any sort, that was frowned upon. The overseers didn't like dealing with bodies.

"Spunk!"

"I'm listening," Spark replied hoarsely, his sensitive ears flattening in pain.

"I'm gonna ask you again," Bull's voice dropped ominously into a growl, "What were you doing talking to those lettuce eaters."

Spark knew what he was talking about. He had hoped that Bull and his cronies hadn't noticed what he had been doing, but so long as he played this right, he could walk out of this with a minimal amount of injuries and still manage what he was planning for tonight.

"I was-" Spark started when-

"Mister Spark!" a high pitched voice called.

A small rabbit with pale brown fur with orange brown spots speckled in her coat came running out of the Pound's headmaster building. She held a finely crafted metal bracelet in her hand, and she clutched it tightly as she ran directly towards Spark's and Bull's confrontation.

Bull turned at the sound of the voice, and, upon seeing the 6 year old rabbit coming towards him, he instantly released his hold on Spark.

"Why, Cream, what is my favorite little rabbit doing out here today?" Bull questioned in a sickly sweet voice, his demeanor changing drastically.

Cream was the daughter of the orphanage's headmaster, who- in Spark's opinion- was actually a kind lady. How such a nice person could end up with the worst employees and charges imaginable, Spark had no idea.

"Mister Spark asked me to teach him how to make grass bracelets," Cream stated. "Mommy's bracelet is going to be a refererence."

"Oh, is it now. Young Spark here is very lucky to have such an amazing teacher like you," Bull praised with a quick glance to the Pound's dead grass. "But, perhaps it would be better if you came back and taught him later. You see, we're a little busy right now."

"Oh," Cream said with downcast eyes, "I understand. I'll go back inside now." Cream started to turn, but Bull softly put his hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, we'll only be a moment. Then you can come back out and teach all of us how to make some bracelets," Bull soothed. "Does that sound good?"

Cream nodded and smiled.

"Good, but ah, would you mind leaving the bracelet? I'd like to take a look at it, to, you know, get a better feel of it before we start." Bull held out his hand and smiled, something that seemed unnatural on his face.

"Um, sure, but don't tell mommy I took it. She'll be mad." Cream then handed over the bracelet tentatively with an unsure smile. Then she skipped inside, and the moment the creaky wooden door closed behind her, Bull's fake smiling demeanor was gone.

Another reason Bull had managed to survive on top in the Pound all these years was his ability to act and lie. Everyone in the Pound acted and lied of course, Spark even did it sometimes, but Bull was was on an entirely different level. He could make almost any overseer like him, and he had managed to 'befriend' Cream, a 'friend' he did not like to share.

"Bracelets! You wanna make bracelets!" Bull roared in Spark's ear, shoving the skinny cheetah up against the tree again. "That vegan is mine, you got that Spunk?! She's wrapped around my finger, and I won't have that change." Bull let go of Spark again, and Spark fell to the ground with a thud, his throat sore.

"I let you live, for now, but one more mess up and…" Bull leaned in and whispered with malice, "...I'll enjoy bracelets of you, between my teeth."

Claw and Beat, who had been silent up until now, saw the end of Bull's tirade coming up, and added in a few good slugs to Sparks already bruised abdomen.

Bull stood and dragged Spark roughly up to his feet. Bull dangled the metal bracelet in front of Spark tauntingly.

"Let's make some bracelets now, shall we?" Bull stated with a smirk.

Spark watched the bracelet in front of him and knew that it was now or never. He would have to make his break now or who knows when the next chance would come, and glancing at the three thugs around him, Spark knew that was time he wouldn't have.

Spark took a deep breath and snatched the bracelet from Bull's grasp. Then, before Bull and Beat even had a chance to blink, Spark sped past them and was racing towards a building on the eastern side of the Pound's courtyard. The Pound consisted of four buildings surrounding the small courtyard. There was the headmaster building to the north, and to the west was the inmate's sleeping quarters. Then to the south was the building that housed the dining area and a sparse lounge. Bull had almost full reign of that building, and the only mobians who dare go in there are either overseers, suicidal, or a part of Bull's possy. The building Spark was running to right now held the overseer's quarters and the reception room. It also had a roof that was conveniently low to the ground.

Spark jumped up and scrambled onto the roof, bringing about a spasm of pain from where he had been hit. Spark dare not stop though. Bull wouldn't be able to follow him, he was strong but slow, and Beat, despite being a bird, was not a good jumper. Claw was the one to worry about. She was lithe, fast, and especially nimble. Spark probably could have outrun her in a straight chase, but with the roof's slippery shingles in a horrid need of replacement and the rotting timbers creaking under his feet, Spark needed to reach the streets as soon as possible. He would have preferred to be doing this quietly, at night, but no, luck was never on his side. He had wanted the bracelet to pay for food for once, but of course his greed would backfire. Still, glancing at the bracelet, he thought of all the food he could buy with it.

Spark heard Claw's claws scrabble onto the roof, and he worked on navigating the roof with a renewed urgency. Just as he was about to reach the other end of the roof and be home free, Spark felt claws dig into his arm. Claw twisted his arm behind his back and put him into a choke hold. She wasn't holding so hard as to completely cut of Spark's supply of oxygen, but it was enough to give him trouble breathing.

"You have no idea how much I would like to kill you right now, thief," Claw murmured in his ear.

"Why don't you go and do it, then?" Spark questioned between ragged breaths and failed attempts to pry Claw's arm off his neck.

"Mm, because lone little thief, the flames are rising, and I'm curious to see whether 'Lightning' will get burned," Claw replied.

Spark's breaths became more rapid as Claw tightened her hold.

"Yes 'Lightning', I know about you, the thief that moves about the lower levels of Mobotropolis like a ghost. There are stories about you, you know. You take almost any job, but are never seen in person. You've been offered a position in the thieves guild multiple times, but you continue to stay solo. Now, just how did a master thief like you end up here?"

Spark didn't have the breath to answer.

"Hm, cat got your tongue? No matter, I-"

Just then a shout from one of the overseers sounded from below. Bull and Beat must have alerted them.

"It seems that our time is at an end. I suggest you run and never, ever come back. If you happen upon this place again, I'll have to kill you," Claw stated. Then she slashed a cut deep into Spark's shoulder and disappeared, as if she had never been there in the first place.

More shouts sound from the courtyard behind him, and deciding not to question his good fortune, Spark jumped off the roof and took off into the twisting streets of Mobotropolis.

Spark ran through alley way after alley way without pause, the less than lawful citizens in them not questioning this common occurrence, and he did not stop until he reached a remote alley hidden near a road branching off the lower level market square. There he crawled into a small hole in the side of some old, decrepit building that no one knew the use for.

Inside, was a small room with stone walls on all sides that served as Spark's safe haven. In one corner of the room was a pile of old straw with a thin, straw filled pillow sitting on top. Next to the pile was an old wooden box that Spark tiredly walked towards. He lifted the lid and pulled out a measly scrap of something that was supposedly 'meat'. Spark ate it with great gusto and told himself that he would have get more food tomorrow. Perhaps he could sell the bracelet he just realized he still miraculously had in his hand. He knew a squirrel that could give a price for it, no questions asked.

Spark set the bracelet in the box and pulled out a strip of cloth to wrap around his wounded shoulder. He would deal with all those things tomorrow. Right now, all he was going to worry about was dressing the wound and sleeping.

As Spark was about to wrap the cloth around his shoulder he noticed something odd. There seemed to be something sticking out of the cut. Spark touched it tentatively. It could be a broken tip of one of Claw's claws, but Spark couldn't be sure. His hideaway didn't have much lighting. Still, it wouldn't be a good idea to leave it in to become infected. Steeling himself for the pain that was to come, Spark grasped the thing sticking out of his shoulder and gave a hard, sharp tug.

Pain rippled down Spark's arm as whatever it was in Spark's arm started to slide out. Spark panted against the pain. It definitely wasn't a claw tip that was stuck in his arm. He pulled again with a muffled scream and managed to pull the strange object out of his arm. He then tossed the object onto the floor and fumbled wrap the cloth around to stem the blood flow. Only being able to use one arm made the going difficult, but eventually Spark managed to tie the cloth around his shoulder.

Spark didn't bother to inspect the bloody object on the floor. He was too exhausted from the loss of blood and the exertion from running. Instead he flopped onto the straw, bringing pain from a number of bruises, and instantly fell asleep.

Spark woke up the next morning hungry, in mass amounts of pain, and more tired than he had been before going to sleep. Spark slowly blinked his eyes open and immediately wished he could go back to sleep. Unfortunately, his roaring stomach and screaming array of cuts and bruises had different plans. Spark groggily lifted himself up to a sitting position and weakly brushed the straw out of his fur.

With a long, drawn out sigh, Spark pick himself up and shuffled over to the box at the foot of his pile of straw that served as a bed. He scavenged through his meager supplies and pulled out a tattered cloak. Spark ripped off a strip of ragged cloth and used it to change the bandage on his arm. The blood had dried, and Spark was surprised to see that the wound wasn't as bad as he had previously thought it was. He had expected to need stitches, considering he had pulled who knows what out of it, but it seemed to be healing nicely with no signs of infection.

Spark looked to the object that had come out of the wound. It was still on the floor where he had left it. He went over, wiped the crusted blood off, and held it up to the light that shone faintly through the cracked hole in the wall. The object seemed to be a sliver of some sort of metal. It glinted a brassy gold color. Could it be gold? Gold sold pretty well, and Spark may even be able to buy food for the entire week if he bartered properly with the bracelet added in as well.

Spark worked to clean off the rest of the blood. The squirrel he knew may not ask questions, but it was best not to let him make his own dark conclusions. He was a terrible gossip when he wanted to be and hadn't been bribed enough to keep quiet.

Once Spark had finished, he grabbed the bracelet from his box and crawled out of his safe house, taking care to keep his injured shoulder away from the jagged edge of the opening and any rubble lying about. Once outside, Spark stood up and blinked as he adjusted to the bright light of the morning sun shining over the city. He looked cautiously about the alley, but there was no one there. He had woken up late anyway. Most alley goers came out at night or early morning, and this alley was usually empty anyway.

Spark walked at a tired pace through a few alleys until he came upon a wider street known as the Street of Shops. There were a few mobians milling about, perusing some stop or another, but for the most part, the long street was empty. Strange, the Street of Shops was usually filled with mobians either doing their daily shopping or trying to petition to the king. The Street of Shops was one of four streets that ran directly from the outer gates to the center of the city. Or, at least, Spark was pretty sure that it reached the center. He hadn't really been to the center of Mobotropolis before. He had been over almost every inch of Mobotropolis's outer ring, but he had never gone past the gate to the city's first tier. In the middle of Mobotropolis sat the Noble Tier, where the royal family, the four major houses, and other nobles of import lived. Outside the Noble Tier was the Worker's Tier that was separated from the Low Tier with a large wall made of heavy stone. Spark had snuck into the Worker's tier once on a job, but he had been lucky to make it out unnoticed. The wall separating the Low Tier and the Worker's tier was smooth and constantly patrolled by guards. Spark had to bribe one of the guards just to have a chance to make it over. Even then, the going was difficult.

Spark looked up and down the Street of Shops and cautiously stepped out into the open street. He didn't like this one bit. It was too empty and too quiet. It was then that Spark remembered. Today was Testing Day, the day once every year that enforcers go out into the city and search for Workers to be conscripted into the King's service. Workers are mobians that have special abilities due to some strange way their bodies implement the chaos energy in the world about them. At least that was what Spark had been told. All he really knew was that once a year families hid their children in the cellars and enforcers ran about the city trying to find those children to test them for extra chaos sensitivity. Spark never had anything to worry about. His "father" willingly had him tested seven years in a row. He had wanted the reward money that came from offering your Worker "children" without conflict. Luckily, Spark had been tested negatively all seven times, much to his "father's" chagrin.

Feeling more relaxed, Spark ambled down the generally empty street until he came upon a small building that seemed for all purposes, a small, unassuming antique shop. Like most shops this close to the outer wall of the city, it seemed a little worn down and decrepit, but as Spark opened the front door, it didn't make a sound. The door was well oiled, unlike many other stores in this area of Mobotropolis. The inside was well maintained, and many of objects that you would expect to be in an antique shop were there. There were old couches and rugs, all manner of dusty silverware, and strange metal things that no one really knew the purpose of.

Spark walked to the back of the store and rang the bell on the counter. Upon hearing the sound, a red squirrel wearing glasses that made his eyes seem ten times bigger than they actually were came out from behind an oversized bed. The squirrel looked up, saw that Spark was the one who rang the bell, and took off his glasses with a sly smile. Without his glasses, the facade of a simple, weak shopkeeper disappeared, and was replaced by the cunning black market dealer that he actually was.

"Well, if it isn't Spark. What brings you here?" The squirrel questioned.

Spark pulled out the bracelet he had stolen and placed it on the counter.

"You know why I'm here. It took me ages to track down this thing. Why does the buyer even want it anyway? It's just some dinky bracelet," Spark stated.

The squirrel picked up the bracelet and inspected it. "Ah, Spark, always one with the questions. You know I don't like to disclose information about my clients. Let's just say that it holds some sentimental value." The squirrel pulled out a small tool and started tapping the bracelet while holding a magnifying glass up to it. "In other news though, did you know that today was testing day? I hear the enforcers have already found seven workers, and it's not even aftertime yet."

Spark sat down in a chair near the counter, causing a cloud of dust to arise from the chair's cushion. This was going to take a while. This squirrel, known as Chatter in the market, liked talking almost as much as he liked money.

"I could tell it was testing day but seven? Already? Don't they only end up with five or something on a good year?" Spark questioned. It was best to follow along with Chatter's whims. Sometimes he would buy for a slightly higher price if Spark actually listened. Spark also saw that Chatter wished to veer off the topic of the buyer, and Spark didn't mind, as long as he got paid for his troubles.

"Yes, and the word is that they even picked up an IQ Worker," Chatter replied.

"An IQ Worker, in the Low Tier?"

"And get this, there is even tell of the Enforcers being on the trail of Speed Worker somewhere in the Low Tier," Chatter whispered conspiratorially.

"Really, Chatter, a Speed Worker? Down here? Now I know you're just trying to tell a tale. Speed Workers aren't found in the Low Tier," Spark declared. Speed Workers were some of the rarest Workers, save the Special Workers. There numbers are few, and the way they implement chaos energy is so specific and fine tuned that supposedly, they aren't produced in the population very often. They are also hard to catch because, as the name states, Speed Workers are extremely fast. Speed Workers have many uses within the Kingdom though. They run important messages, act as scouts, and even have some uses on the open battle field.

"I'm telling the truth," Chatter claimed. "Soozie came in earlier and told me she overheard the Enforcers speaking of one being here somewhere." Soozie the Mouse just so happened to be almost as much of a gossip as Chatter. "Anyway, I'm done with the inspection. This bracelet is 50% silver with a common iron alloy for the other half. It fits the pattern the buyer was looking for perfectly, and if your report is to be believed-"

"It's true. Why do you think I look so beat up?"

"-then this bracelet is exactly what the buyer wants," Chatter finished. "I'll give 50 rings for it."

"I'll take 200," Spark demanded.

"This bracelet came late," Chatter replied smoothly, "60 rings."

"Come on Chatter I'm hungry. Can we skip this part and just settle on 130 rings?" Spark pleaded.

"I'll give you 110 rings."

"Fine, put one hundred of them in the deposit for this week. I'll take the five that you didn't happen to 'miscount'," Spark stated.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Spark," Chatter said with a plastered smile and placed five gold rings on the counter.

Spark took the rings and started to walk out of the store. That hadn't gone as well as he hoped, but at least he had filled his quota. Plus he had some extra rings to buy some food with. There was a cheap foods stall down the street that he could eat at. The food there could hardly be called food, but it was filling and edible, that's all Spark cared about right now.

Spark made an about face turn. He had been so preoccupied with thinking about food that he had almost forgotten about the strange gold piece he had found in his arm.

"Wait, Chatter," Spark called.

Chatter looked up from the silverware he was cleaning at the counter.

"Yes, Spark?"

Spark walked back to the counter and placed the gold sliver on the counter.

"Do have any idea what this is?" Spark questioned.

Chatter gazed at the gold nonchalantly and stated, "It's not gold I can tell you that. It's probably some iron covered in some facade plating. Might I ask where you found this?"

"I don't like to disclose information about where I get things. Let's just say it holds some _sentimental_ value," Spark replied smugly.

"Haha, funny," Chatter stated sarcastically and tossed the sliver of not gold back to Spark. "It's worthless anyway. Now, off with you. I have someone to meet with soon, and he does not like waiting."

Spark walked out of the store, thinking about food again, but just as he was about to open the door, Chatter called, "Hey, Spark, watch out for those Enforcers running about. They're especially ruthless this year."

Spark opened the door and turned.

"Don't worry about me. I've been tested seven times. I don't think I'm going to be tested positive now," Spark replied and shut the door behind him. Chatter and his nonsense. He always leaves Spark off with some kind of thing to worry over. Spark eyed the sliver in his palm and shrugged. His stomach growled and he set off for the foods stand.

Spark walked a ways down the street until he came upon a small stand run by a less than friendly looking bear in a dusty apron two sizes too small. Spark sat down at a creaking stool that was barely holding his weight. He was surprised to see that there was actually another customer at the stand. Sitting two stools down was a dirty blue hedgehog wolfing down whatever it was that Chubo's Foods Stand had concocted today.

"I'll have as much of whatever you have for two rings," Spark requested, placing two of the rings he had received earlier on the stand's table. The hedgehog looked up from his meal, just now noticing that he wasn't alone at the stand, and Spark was unnerved to see that the hedgehog had brilliant emerald green eyes. Most of the populants of the low ring had brown eyes, with a few mobians with blue eyes like Spark speckled throughout. Green eyes were common among workers and nobility, and they usually hinted to someone with chaos energy at their disposal. This hedgehog definitely couldn't be a noble though, his dirty visaged showed as much, and him eating at Chubo's put that possibility completely out of the question. Was he a Worker then? If he was, Spark had no idea why the hedgehog would want to be out and about on today of all days. There had to be Enforcers everywhere, even if none were on the street right now, which still unnerved Spark.

"Hey there, the name's Sonic, what's your's?" the hedgehog greeted, surprising Spark with his up front approach. This hedgehog must be new to Mobotropolis. Mobians didn't just give their names wantonly about in the Lower Ring, nor did they greet someone they didn't already know or plan to mug.

"Um, Spindle," Spark replied, not wanting to give his true name away to a stranger.

"What brings you to this fine food stand on a day like today, Spindle," Sonic questioned loudly.

Spark stayed silent. He was getting worried. This hedgehog was acting strangely, even for a country bumpkin who may or may not be a Worker. It would probably be best to leave immediately, but…

Just then the bear running the stand set down a heaping pile of… something. Even for Chubo's the selection looked especially unidentifiable today, but food was food. It beat trying to compete over trash heaps after all. Spark had not lowered himself to that level yet.

Spark looked from the strange hedgehog to the food sitting on the counter, contemplating whether to run for it. Ultimately, his stomach made the decision for him with a large growl. He hadn't eaten a sustaining meal in ages, and he was just too exhausted to fight his hunger.

Spark gingerly picked at a bite of food and cautiously ate it, chewing and swallowing slowly to not upset his stomach. All the while, the hedgehog stared at him expectantly. He was still waiting for a response, Spark realized, even after Spark had made it perfectly clear he wanted no business with the strange hedgehog.

Spark went for another bite of food and that was when he felt it. A sudden weariness came over him, and Spark knew that it had to be a liquid knockout, a strong one at that. It was a good thing Spark had only eaten a little, but the knockout was doing its work. He had to get out of here fast.

Spark shot out of his seat and started running. Why had he been so stupid? Everything had seemed wrong the moment the hedgehog had looked up from his food. Spark heard his stomach growl again as he scrambled for the nearest alley way. Right, that was why. Well, there was no sense in worrying about it now. He had to run as far and quick as he could from Chubo's stand, already there were sounds of pursuit.

Sparked turned into an alley and dodged around the rumble lying there. Behind him he heard heavy boots thud and begin maneuver the rubble as well, albeit at a slightly slower pace than Spark despite Spark's heavy legs and labored breathing. Spark had no idea who it was that was after him, or why they thought it wise to use a heavy knockout on some scrawny cheetah from the lower district of Mobotropolis. Spark was almost tempted to turn around and see who it was that was pursuing him, but he didn't have much time. It was hard enough to focus with the fast acting knockout coursing through his system, added on top of his hunger and blood loss, he needed to make it to a thieves safe house. Thieves' safe houses were dotted all over Mobotropolis and offered safe haven for thieves on the run. If Spark could lose his pursuers in the sewers, then he could make it to a safe house and be home free. First though, came finding a sewer entrance.

Spark was feeling the full effects of the knockout now, but he had to keep going. He forced his eyes open and silently thanked his "father" for all his training in poison resistance even though it had been some of the most painful times of his life. Spark knew where he was right now. It was only a few more blocks to the nearest entrance to the sewer. He just had to hang on a little longer. Just…. a few...more….moments. Spark felt himself slipping. Dark bliss was calling out to him, and it would be so easy to just let go.

Spark snapped himself out of it. He pushed all the harder and even started putting some distance between himself and his pursuers, judging by the receding sounds of their feet. The sewer entrance was within reach now. Spark could see it in the side of an old factory at the end of the street. It was only a few yards away now with little to no obstructions in the way.

Spark prepared for one last final push, but then a strong breeze blew by his side, and suddenly the blue hedgehog from before was blocking the way between him and the sewer entrance with a smirk.

Spark almost stumbled in realization. No wonder the hedgehog had seemed so strange, he was a Speed worker. Why a Speed worker would be after Spark? He had no idea, and he was too exhausted to care. He knew there was no way he would ever make it past the blue hedgehog, but he wasn't about to give up yet.

Spark rushed directly at the hedgehog and used the last vestige of his strength to push forward. If Spark was going to go down, he might as well go down swinging.

It was then that a strange thing happened. Instead of pathetically running into the hedgehog Speed worker, Spark found himself slamming into a wall with enough force to knock the breath out of him. Spark didn't even have time to hear the hedgehog laugh mockingly before the darkness overtook him, and he was knocked out cold.

"Too Slow."

* * *

 **I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible. I hope that you enjoyed the first chapter. Later chapters will have more cannon characters and some new OCs as well. Feel free to leave a comment if you found a mistake in my grammar; there's bound to be a bunch of them.**


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